UCCS staff will have changes in their pay, how pay raises are earned, and in their job titles, Cindy Corwin, director, Office of Human Resources, told staff during a Nov. 7 joint meeting of the Professional Exempt Staff Association and Staff Council.
During the General Assembly session in spring 2013, legislators will be asked to change pay structures for classified employees. As proposed by the Colorado Department of Personnel Administration, those changes will include revisions to the merit pay system and efforts to ensure salaries earned by state employees are in line with market.
“It is critical that the State make a significant investment in its workforce,” Kathy Nesbitt, executive director, Department of Personnel and Administration wrote to Gov. John Hickenlooper in a Nov. 1 letter. “State employees are the cornerstone for ensuring Colorado citizens and visitors receive efficient, effective and elegant services.”
The DPA recommended, and Hickenlooper included in his budget proposal, a 1.5 percent cost of living increase for all state employees in 2013-14. DPA is also recommending a new merit pay system that combines an employee’s performance, years of service and placement within a salary range. Employees will be grouped into quartiles based on those factors with priority given to rewarding employees who receive exceptional ratings and with no reward for those who receive unsuccessful rankings. In a departure from previous pay scales, those in the fourth quartile and near the pay range maximum will be eligible for merit increases as a one-time bonus or non-base building. Other changes in the state employment system include the elimination of job retention rights unless an employee is within the last five years of his or her career.
The changes, while confusing and up in the air until given legislative approval, are potentially good for classified staff members who have not seen raises in four years, Corwin said. Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak also attended the meeting and offered assurance to staff who attended the meeting.
“We value and need the work that all of you do,” Shockley-Zalabak said.
“The last few years have been tough for all employee categories but particularly so for classified.”
Shockley-Zalabak pointed to UCCS growth plans as indication of a stable and growing employment base and repeated her commitment to equity in salary increases among faculty, classified staff and professional exempt staff members. She also encouraged staff to take advantage of various non-salary benefits of working at UCCS, everything from tuition benefits to enjoying cultural and athletic events on campus.
In recent years, CU has moved many employees to professional exempt positions, Corwin said. That shift from state classified to university professional exempt position required an analysis of pay and titles across the four CU campuses. In November, official or payroll titles for many employees will change. Working titles and compensation levels will remain the same.
The title changes are intended to provide parity, where possible, across campuses and improve the ability to compare CU salaries with those in the private sector, Corwin said. In the next few weeks, Individual staff members will receive letters outlining the change in their official title. Concerns should be discussed initially with supervisors. If concerns remain, Corwin encouraged staff to talk with her directly.
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